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(No Model.)

J. E. ROBINSON. METALLIC FAGED BRICK 0R TILE FOR BUILDING, &c. L

' No. 540,560. Patented June 4, 1895.

JAMES E. ROBINSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JESSE E. EASTES, OF SAME PLACE.

IVIETALLIC-FACED BRICK OlR TILE FOR BUILDING, 800.

v SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters latent No. 540,560, dated June 4, 1895. Application filed March 27,1894. swarm. 505,280. (No specimens.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JAMES E. ROBINSON, a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metallic- Faced Brick or Tile for Building or other Purposes, of which I do-declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

It is a well known fact that for many purposes brick, having a facing thereon of porcelain, enamel, or other like material, is largely used for building and other, purposes; and moreover that for ornamental purposes such brick are made of various shapes and designs. Further, it is well understood in the art that by covering the face of a brick or building tile with such porcelain, enamel, or other substance impervious to the elements, unsightly formations on the face of,

design as is the face of like brick or tile not.

having such metallic face, and with such metallic face extending sufficiently over or upon the faces of the brick or tile adjacent to the one or ones thereof designed to be exposed to the elements or to view to insure perfect protection and a sightly appearance to the wall or other thingconstructed of such brick or tile.

' A further object of my invention is to provide a metallic faced brick or tile well adapted to be used for building or other purposes; that is to say, one whereof the metallic face will not interfere with the setting or taking hold of the mortar, cement, or other article used in the, laying of the brick or tile; and a brick or tile of the character named whereof the metallic face will be firmly held in position to the body thereof. In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a brick or tile having an ornamental face on one of the edges and ends thereof, such brick or tile being shown as broken in two to indicate that the length thereof is immaterial and having a metallic face embodying myinvention; Fig. 2, afront elevation of such brick or tile, and Fig. 3 a cross-section thereof on about the line of the break in Fig. 1 and having dotted lines indiicating that it may be made hollow in the ordinary way of making hollow building-tile. The same letter of reference is employed .to designate agiven part Where more than one view thereof is given in the several figures of the drawings.

A is a brick or tile. B is the front edge or ,face thereof, and O is the end face thereof designed, as is face B, to be exposed to view in the wall or other thing constructed with such and other like brick or tile forming a part thereof.

D is the end, or face of the brick or tile A opposite to end or face 0, and designed to be embedded in the Wall or other thing constructed therewith.

Where both ends'of the brick or tile are designed to be exposed to the elements, or to View, both of such ends or faces may be constructed in the same manner as is end or face 0; and where neither of such ends or faces is designed to be exposed to the elements or to vie'wthey are constructed substantially asis end or face D.

E is the top face or side of the brick or tile, and F is the bottom face or side.

G is the back edge or face of the brick or tile.

d is a groove in end or face D.

e is a groove in the top face F. e is also a groove in such top or face E.

fis a groove in the bottom face F, and g, g, g, are depressions in the back edge or face G.

A groove, as indicated by the dotted lines g, g Fig. 1, may be substituted for the depressions g, g, g; and in like mannera series of depressions extending along in about the position of the several grooves d, e, f, may be substituted for such grooves, if preferred, the purpose of the several grooves or depressions being to receive both the metallic facing and the mortar or cement used in building up the Mateo wall or other thing of such (and other like) brick or tile.

H is the metallic facing or covering.

The method or process which I prefer to employ in making my metallic faced brick is as follows:Gr0oves, or depressions corresponding to the grooves, 01, e, f, and g are first obtained, by molding, drilling, with the chisel, or in any manner preferred, on the several edges and faces of the brick or tile adjacent to the one or ones thereof to be covered by the metallic facing; such grooves or depressions being placed at that distance or point back from the corners of the brick or tile to which the metallic facingis desired to extend, on the several faces not to be exposed to the i elements or to view. The several faces and parts of faces of the brick or tile to be covered with the metallic facing, including the grooves, (or depressions,) are then covered with a film of wax, parafiin, or other like substance, in the ordinary way heretofore used in electro-platin g. The several surfaces to be coated are then blackleaded in the ordinary way; and the brick or tile is then suspended in the ordinary electro-plating bath. After the deposit of a sufliciently heavy coating of metal the brick or tile is then removed from the bath, cleaned in the ordinary way, and polished as desired. It will be found, of course that the portion of the several surfaces of the brick or tile not covered with the film of wax or like substance and blackleaded will not have been coated with the metal; and that by extending the Wax (or its equivalent) and the black-leading into the several grooves or depressions the metallic facing will extend thereinto while such grooves or depressions will remain of substantially the same depth as before the metallic facing is applied to such brick or tile, and that thereby means are atforded for the mortar, cement or other material used to enter, or be pressed thereinto, in constructing a wall or other thing of and with such brick' or tile.

Other means may be used for covering the brick or tile with the metallic facing, as by using the brick or tile as a core print and casting it thereon; but I prefer to use the electro-platin g process, as thereby a saving in metal is effected; such saving being particularly desirable where a costly metal, as silver, or even gold, is used for the metallic facing.

The dotted lines I, I, in Fig. 3 indicate the hollow portion of a tile embodying my invention. l

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination with a brick or tile formed with a continuous groove a short distance in rear of its front face and with a series of (lepressions on its back, of the metal facing secured to the front of the brick and its edges turned inwardlyand formed with depressions engaging with said groove, said depressions and groove serving the double purpose of aiding in holding the casing in place and for receiving mortar for holding the bricks together, substantially as described.

JAMES E. ROBINSON.

Witnesses:

FLORA L. BROWN, H. J. GOHLF. 

